What Size Hepa Filter Does Winix 5300-2 Use

Quick Facts

Particle filter blazon	HEPA
Gas filter blazon	Carbon
Pre-Filter	Mesh washable pre-filter
Output	Approx. 250 CFM
Air Motion	Front, bottom, sides of front grille > mesh pre-filter > carbon filter > HEPA filter > up and out of top of unit
Number of fan speeds	4 – low, medium, high, and turbo
Size	24 in. tall x 15 in. wide ten eight in. deep
Weight	15 lb.

fully assembled

The 5300-two fully assembled (ane/5). Coil to the right to see all of its filters.

pre-filter

The grille removed, showing the pre-filter (2/5)

carbon filter

The pre-filter removed, showing the carbon filter (three/five)

hepa filter

The carbon filter removed, showing the HEPA filter (4/v)

empty

All filters removed (5/5)

Analysis

A stride past step breakdown of the 5300-2's operation.

Air Processing Functioning

Test Results

In a 150 sq. ft. test environment, the Winix 5300-2 was able to lower room particle concentration from ten,000 particles per cubic ft. downward to 1,000 particles per cubic ft. in ix minutes. We consider the latter concentration – 1,000 particles per cubic ft. - to be the maximum threshold for particle concentration in a make clean air environment in a residential setting. Thus, the 5300-2 is able to accomplish a "clean air" surround in a 150 sq. ft. room in 9 minutes. This is, of course, on its highest fan speed – turbo.

Comparable models also equipped with HEPA filters and likewise outputting at approx. 250 CFM garnered similar results. The Winix 5500-2 accomplished the same feat in exactly the aforementioned amount of time – 9 minutes. The Coway Mighty took 10 minutes.

Smaller units with less output (less CFM) took longer. For example, the GermGuardian AC4825 took 23 minutes. Larger units with greater output were faster. For instance, the Coway AirMega 400 took only four minutes.

The Winix 5300-2 was able to lower particle concentration in the room even further given more fourth dimension. Given an additional 7 minutes information technology was able to reach the lowest particle concentration possible – 100 particles per cubic ft. (this was equally close to 0 equally nosotros were able to measure out). The Winix 5500-2 took an additional 6 minutes and the Coway Mighty took an additional xiii minutes.

The GermGuardian AC4825 needed an additional twoscore minutes while the Coway AirMega 400, surprisingly, needed 9 additional minutes.

All of this is to say that the Winix 5300-2 was one of the elevation performers we tested in lowering room particle concentration down to the everyman concentration possible as quickly as possible.

Filter Analysis

Particle Filter

The 5300-2 is equipped with a unmarried HEPA filter to filter out particles from the air. Particles include everything from pollen and pet allergens to mold and dust.

HEPA filtration is the industry standard for particle filtration. A HEPA filter removes 99.97% of particles that travel through it. For comparison, a MERV 7 filter, unremarkably used in residential HVAC systems, removes just 90% of particles that travel through it.

All of the air purifiers we've mentioned and so far - including the Winix 5500-2, Coway Mighty, GermGuardian AC4825, and Coway AirMega 400 - besides come up equipped with HEPA filters.

Gas Filter

Like near other air purifiers on the market, the Winix 5300-2 comes equipped with a carbon filter for gas filtration. The carbon bonds to unwanted gases similar odors and VOCs to remove them from the air that travels through the filter.

The 5300-2's carbon filter is comprised of a gristly material that is coated with carbon. This is the most common blazon of carbon filter on the marketplace. The Coway Mighty and GermGuardian AC4825 are equipped with the same type of filter.

You should be aware that there is a 2nd type of carbon filter available. This carbon filter type is comprised of carbon pellets held inside a plastic honeycomb frame. The carbon pellets offer better gas adsorption than the coated carbon of the showtime type of carbon filter we described in a higher place.

The 2d type – a carbon pellet-based carbon filter – can be institute in the Winix 5500-two and Coway AirMega 400. If you're especially concerned about gas filtration then yous should definitely consider spending a niggling chip extra to movement upwards to the Winix 5500-2. This divergence in carbon filter type is i of the largest differences between the 5300-2 and the 5500-2.

carbon filter wide — The carbon filter standing upward next to the air purifier.

carbon filter close — A close-up of the carbon filter.

Pre-filter

The Winix 5300-2 is equipped with a washable mesh pre-filter. The pre-filter'due south job is to capture larger particles. Larger particles can quickly saturate a HEPA filter so the pre-filter acts to extend the life of the HEPA filter. Large particles build upwardly on the pre-filter which tin exist washed for free. Only small particles build upwardly on the HEPA filter which has to be replaced at cost.

The Winix 5500-2, Coway Mighty, and AirMega 400 all have the same blazon of mesh washable pre-filter. The GermGuardian AC4825 and most other budget air purifiers do not. The AC4825 relies on its carbon filter to also act as a pre-filter. The problem with this setup is that the carbon filter can quickly saturate with big particles and has to be replaced at cost. It cannot be vacuumed and done similar the washable mesh pre-filter of the Winix 5300-2.

Air Motion

The 5300-2 processes approx. 250 cubic feet of air every minute – 250 CFM. The 5500-2 and Coway Mighty have essentially the exact same output – 250 CFM.

Less expensive air purifiers like the GermGuardian AC4825 usually have less output. The AC4825 outputs at approx. 130 to 140 CFM. Larger more expensive units similar the Coway AirMega 400 commonly have greater output. The AirMega 400 outputs at approx. 430 CFM.

The 5300-2's 250 CFM of air processing power allows it to comfortably exist used in spaces as large equally 300 sq. ft. on its highest fan speed. Do note that on this fan speed information technology does produce a lot of noise. On lower settings its much quieter but can simply be used in rooms up to about 150 sq. ft.

For spaces larger than 300 sq. ft. we recommend multiple 250 CFM units. We do not recommend a high CFM unit similar the AirMega 400 as information technology'southward a very poor value. Y'all can purchase most three 5300-2s for a total output of 750 CFM for the same price equally a single AirMega 400.

The 5300-2 has very practiced energy efficiency. On its highest fan speed it draws 64.iv watts of power. This is slightly worse than the 5500-ii which draws only 54.viii watts of power on the same fan speed. But, it'south slightly better than the Coway Mighty which draws 72.3 watts of power on the same setting.

Recollect that the 5300-2 outputs at 250 CFM. It draws 64.4 watts of power at this output. This gives information technology a CFM/watt ratio of 3.87. Most budget air purifiers have a ratio in the 2 to 3 range on maximum fan speed. In other words, such units are less free energy efficient on their highest setting.

Where the 5300-2 really shines is on lower fan speeds. On its 2d highest setting it draws merely 9.9 watts of power and notwithstanding outputs at approx. 100 to 120 CFM. This gives it a CFM/watt ratio close to 12 on the second highest setting. This is extremely energy efficient. Remember, budget units take a ratio in the ii to 3 range on maximum fan speed. On this fan speed such units unremarkably max out at near 120 to 140 CFM – approx. the same CFM as the 5300-2 on its second highest setting.

All of this is to say that the 5300-ii is at least 4 times more than free energy efficient than most upkeep air purifiers when each unit of measurement (the 5300-2 and the budget unit of measurement) is fix to output at approx. 120 CFM.

The 5300-2 is also 1 of the quieter air purifiers we've tested.

On maximum fan speed it does produce quite a bit of noise. Information technology was measured at 67.5 dB of noise output on turbo. This is the verbal same number as the 5500-two on the aforementioned setting – 67.5 dB. The Coway Mighty was ever and so slightly quieter. It was measured at 66.ane dB of noise output.

Setting the 5300-ii to any one of the three lower fan speeds greatly reduces noise output. On its second highest fan speed dissonance output goes all the way down to 49.four dB. The 5500-2 and Coway Mighty were both measured at 48.9 on the same setting.

Recall that these 250 CFM units output at approx. 100 to 120 CFM on this 2d highest setting. A smaller budget air purifier needs to be ready to its highest fan speed to attain the same level of output. On this highest fan speed it produces much more than noise than the approx. 48 to 48 dB of the Winix 5300-2, 5500-2, and Coway Mighty. For example, the GermGuardian AC4825 was measured at 61.ii dB on maximum fan speed at approx. 130 CFM of output. The Honeywell HPA100 was measured at 68.7 dB on maximum fan speed at approx. 110 CFM of output.

All of this is to say that a 250 CFM unit of measurement like the 5300-2 can exist set to a lower fan speed to run very quietly and even so offer a reasonable amount of output – approx. 100 to 120 CFM. This level of output tin properly reduce particle concentration in a 150 sq. ft. and properly maintain low particle concentration in a larger room (y'all'll need to initially run the air purifier on turbo to lower particle concentration in a large room but can then prepare it to a lower fan speed to maintain that lower particle concentration).

A smaller budget priced unit of measurement will always run loudly. It has to be set to its highest setting to be constructive even in a relatively small room of approx. 150 sq. ft. On lower settings where it runs more quietly it will take and so depression of an output that it volition be ineffective lowering and even maintaining depression particle concentration in a small room.

The 5300-ii like the 5500-2 is one of the few air purifiers on the market that is made in Korea. Most other units, including all Coway units, GermGuardian units, Honeywell units, etc. are made in China.

With this in mind it shouldn't surprise you that nosotros found both the 5300-ii and 5500-two to exist better built with ameliorate quality parts than most other air purifiers on the marketplace. Everything from their control panels to the plastic parts used to construct their chassis is merely a cut above in quality compared to comparable parts on most other air purifiers, specially units selling at the same price point.

That being said, both Winix units do come with a very curt warranty – it only lasts for one twelvemonth. Most other air purifiers on the market come with a longer warranty. Coway units come up with a three year warranty. Honeywell units come up with a 5 yr warranty. Even upkeep priced GermGuardian units come with a 3 twelvemonth warranty.

Like the 5500-two and the Coway Mighty, the 5300-2 does not give you lot the pick to turn all of its control console lights off. There is a sleep manner but information technology is a full auto mode, meaning y'all cannot control the fan speed when its set to sleep mode. There's also an LED that illuminates to show that it's on slumber mode so even on sleep mode there's always at least one LED that illuminates.

If y'all practice need to utilize this unit in a dark room and you're sensitive to lights yous accept 3 options:

You tin tape over the LEDs.
You tin rotate the air purifier so that the command panel isn't pointing towards you lot while you're sleeping. The air purifier will work simply as well no matter how it'south rotated.
You can buy a unlike air purifier.

The trouble with option iii is that there really isn't any air purifier currently on the market that'due south virtually as practiced of a value with the same amount of output (CFM), high quality filtration, energy efficiency, and low noise output as the Winix 5300-2, 5500-2, and Coway Mighty. And all 3 of these units have control console LEDs that cannot exist turned off.

At the same output (and therefore the aforementioned area of coverage) yous tin look at the Honeywell HPA200 or HPA300. You could also consider the Austin Air HealthMate. The outcome here is that the Honeywells simply aren't very good air purifiers and the Austin is primarily intended for unwanted gas filtration and is quite expensive (approx. $500).

The Winix 5300-2 is a highly portable appliance. It simply weighs virtually 15 lb. There'south a unmarried handle on the back of the air purifier to selection it up. Two handles would have been squeamish but the single handle works well plenty to easily selection the unit up to move it from i location to the next. The 5500-2 is identical in size although it is slightly heavier (about 16.five lb.) because of its more substantial carbon filter. The Coway Mighty is lighter (12.5 lb.) and also slightly smaller in size.

All three units – the 5500-ii, 5300-2, and Mighty – accept a timer to turn off the air purifier on a filibuster.

The 5500-two comes with a remote while the 5300-two and Mighty do not. All iii units cannot be controlled wirelessly via an app on your telephone. If this is a feature that's a priority for y'all be prepared to spend at least a few $100 more for a unit with at least as much output and similar filtration quality as these three units that can also exist controlled wirelessly via an app.

The 5300-2 is one of the best value air purifiers on the market place. It's inexpensive, offers peachy energy efficiency and its filters are very reasonably priced equally well.

At approx. $130 it is the least expensive 250 CFM unit we've tested so far. You cannot buy an air purifier with the aforementioned or greater output for less money. The 5500-ii is slightly more expensive at approx. $150 and the Coway Mighty is even more expensive at approx. $210.

Moving up to the 5500-two you lot gain slightly better gas filtration and a remote. Moving upwards to the Coway you gain 2 more than years on the unit's warranty.

Is a remote and/or amend gas filter enough of a reason for y'all to spend slightly more for the 5500-two? Aye, we believe it is for almost users. This is the reason why the 5500-2 and non the 5300-2 is usually our recommendation as one of if non the best air purifier option on the market today.

Is its longer warranty plenty of a reason for you lot to spend fifty-fifty more than for the Coway? No, we don't believe it is. That existence said, the Coway is still a great air purifier and it's still a good value. It's also a different make – a more pronounced alternative - to the 5500-2 which is the reason we normally recommend it as the second best pick behind the 5500-2.

That all existence said, the 5300-2 is even so a dandy air purifier and a tremendous value. If your primary business organisation is particle filtration then it volition perform merely equally well as the 5500-2 and Coway Mighty. It has the exact same output at approx. 250 CFM so it will be able to cover the exact same size area just too. It has the verbal aforementioned blazon of particle filter – a HEPA filter. So, it will clean the air (from particles) just as well equally the 5500-2 and Mighty. Get the 5300-2 instead of the 5500-2 if gas filtration and a remote are non that important to you.